Augusta City meeting lacks quorum; council to reconvene at 1 p.m. tomorrow

The Augusta City meeting was called to order but officials immediately discovered there was no quorum, and the chair announced the body would reconvene at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow in the same chamber to attempt to conduct the day's business.

The clerk noted attendance and absences during roll call. "There's not a quorum," the clerk said, prompting the chair to apologize to members of the public and officials who had traveled. "I'm very sorry that many of you have driven 200 miles round trip," the chair said, acknowledging the inconvenience to people who attended in person.

Members present agreed to schedule a reconvening. A council member asked the clerk to "ask for a vote as to the members present" at the reconvened meeting, and those assembled confirmed the 1:00 p.m. time "by acclamation and by hand." The reconvening was presented and treated as the immediate next step to address the absent quorum.

During a brief exchange about next steps, a committee member asked, "So if we meet tomorrow and we're still in the same situation, what's the recourse?" The chair responded that she would call a press conference and reiterated support for adopting a city charter, saying, "This is exactly why the charter should be passed in Augusta City." Another member urged voters to reconsider their voting history and participation, saying citizens need to "take a very good look at the process and who's serious about moving this city."

The chair closed the short session by encouraging as many people as possible to attend the 1:00 p.m. reconvening. No formal legislative business or votes on ordinances or motions other than the scheduling confirmation were taken during this meeting.